Homogenizer



1939 w. s. BOWEN 2,142,344

HOMOGENIZE'R Filed May 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 3, 1939.

w. s. BOWEN HOMOGENIZER Filed May 1; 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [H -Ii w,

- INVENTOR. lfillim/S cerflowen,

. Y gwuh XML W a ATTORNEYS to be homogenized is repeatedly subjected to imas, for instance, by means of threads [5. The

45 the above character; structure by means of which At the upper extremity of drive shaft 20, a 45 Patented Jan. 3,1939 v J 2,142,344

nomoomznn William Spencer Bowen, Westfi'eld, N. J. Application May 1, 1936, Serial No. 77,310

' 6 Claims. (01. 99-266) The present invention relates to homogenizing homogenizer constructed in accordance with th apparatus and embodies, more specifically, an present invention; r d form f homogenizer y means f Figure 2 is an enlarged partial plan'view of the -which homogenizing operations may be carried I lower portion of the homogenizing head shown in 5 out more effectively than in-existing devices. It Figure 1; and I i v is known, in the art, to providerotatable de- Figure ,3 is a view in section, taken on the line UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] vices into which a substance to be homogenized 33 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of is introduced axially and directed outwardly to the arrows. the device due to the centrifugal force set up by With reference to the above drawings, the 10 reason of its rotation. It is upon devices of this homogenizing device is shown as being formed 10 character that the present invention is an imwith a casing ID in which a chamber II is formed provement and an object of the invention, acby means of suitable chamber walls l2. The, cordingly, is to provide a homogenizing head or a chamber 'walls l2 terminate in a horizontal upper rotatable device by means of which the substance extremity l3 to which a cover l4 may be secured pact and shearing stresses in such fashion as to coverma-y be sealed to the casing l2 by means of insure the effective and uniform treatment of all a seal l6, if desired, and coaxially of the cover M portions of the substance passing therethrough. and-upper extremity I3 of the casing I! there is A further object of the invention is to provide mounted an homogenizing head IT. This head .is 2 a device of theabove character wherein the ro supported by a housing H! which may be formed tatable member by means of which homogenizaintegral with the casing II, the housing l8- being tion is effected is provided with a series of surformed with an axial bore l9 within which a holfaces which lie substantially in planes perpenlow drive shaft 20 is received. The drive shaft 20' dicular to radii of the head, the surfaces being is preferably journaled within bushings 2| and 22 arranged instaggered'relation to subject the subwhich are formed preferably of a porous sub- 25 stance to repeated impact and shearing stresses. stance such as bronze and graphite. Bushing 22 A further object of the invention is to provide, is formed with enlarged extremities 23 and 24 in in combination with a deviceof the above charorder that the cylindrical surface thereof may 1 acter, means to supply substance to be homobe spaced away from the inner surface of thegenized to the device in a simple and efiective bore l9 within the housing l8, such space being 30 manner. In this connection, the invention furshown at 25. In order that a. suitable driving ther contemplates the provision of a feed mechagear may be mounted in driving engagement with nism by means of which a plurality of substances respect to the drive shaft 20, the enlarged portion may be introduced into the homogenizing head 23 is cut away at 26. g in a desired fashion. I Bushing 2| is formed with an enlargement 21 35 A further object of the invention is to provide which is cut away at 28, similar to the adjacent an improved driving and lubricating mechanism end of bushing 22, and thus spaces the bushing 2! by means of which the homogenizing head may from the adjacent surface of the bore l9 as be rotated at high speeds without subjecting the shown at 29.

- driving mechanism to damage, the lubrication The drive shaft 2 is formed with a spiral 40 mechanism being simple in construction and efpinion 30 which is. driven by a cooperating'gear feetive in operation, 3|, mounted upon a shaft 32 within a housing 33,

A further object of the invention is to provide, preferably formed integral with the casing III, in combination with a lubricating mechanism of and enclosed by a suitable cover 3|.

the lubricant is effectively supplied to the roy ri al hing 35 i pli to areduced D -tating surfaces by a positive action set up by the tion 36 of the drive shaft. The bushing 35 p H rotation of a driving element. erably has a circular flange 31 formed integral Further objects, not specified above, will be therewith to serve as a step bearing for the homoapparent as the invention is described in further genizing head H. A look nut 38 is provided for 50 detail in connection with the accompanying securing the homogenizing head IT to the bushdrawings, wherein p ing 35 and drive shaft 20, this lock nut having Figure 1 is a view in end elevation, partly in a downwardly and outwardly curving surface 39 vertical section, taken ona plane passing through to facilitate the feed of substance to the head. the axis of the homogenizing device, showing a In this connection, the lock nut preferably is 55 formed with a tapered upper extremity 48, on the sides of which one or more vanes 4| are provided to provide a pump action to force substance into the homogenizing head.

In order that substance may be fed to the head, the cover I4 is provided with an upwardly extending portion 42 having an upper opening 43 which communicates through a channel 44 with the central portion of the homogenizing head. This channel preferably has a downwardly extending flange 45 which is received within a central opening 46 within a cover 41, secured to the head IT by means of bolts 48. A further provision for feeding substance to the head is made in the provision of a transverse conduit 49 com-' municating between oppositely extending openings 59, formed in the sides of the extension 42, the conduit 49 communicating with a downwardly extending axial conduit formed with a housing portion 52 which surrounds the vanes 4|,

thus enabling the vanes to function effectively to draw substance through the conduits 49 and 5| into the homogenizing head l1. Inasmuch as the surface 39 of the lock nut 98 curves outwardly, the path of movement of the substance introducedthrough the openings 43 and 58 will be changed effectively from an axial path with respect to the head l1 to a radial path with respect thereto as the substance leaves the curved surface 39.

At this point, fectively to the centrifugal force resulting from the rapid rotation of the head l1 and, under such -force,'the' substance is directed outwardly radially of the head.

' Such radial motion of the substance causes 3 it to pass between radially extending vanes 53 carried either upon the head I! or cover 41 (in the construction illustrated, these vanes are formed upon the head I1). These vanes are wedge shaped-as illustratedin Figure 2, and

- cause the substance to be guided through radial channels 54, between the respective vanes 53. Outwardlyof the vanes 53 a circumferential series of vanes 55 are provided, these vanes being formed with surfaces 56 which extend circumferentially of the axis of the head and terminate in sharpened edges 51.

The edges 51 of each of the vanes 55are spaced apart circurnfcientially a greater distance than the width of the radial channels 54, in order that the surface 56 may have impinged thereon all of the substance passing through the channel 54 with which it is inradial alignment. The vanes 55 thus are spaced by openings 58 through which the substance passes outwardly radially as itmoves over the edges 51. In such radial movement, the substance next impacts against a circumferential series of vanes 59 which are in staggered relationship axially and circumferentially with respect to the vanes 55 in order that the substance may impact against the circumferential surfaces 60 thereof as illustrated by the arrows in Figure 2. Inasmuch as the vanes 59 are similar in formation to the vanes 55, further description thereof is unnecessary except to state that they are preferably larger in size than the vanes 55 in order to afford sufflcient strength as ;w'ell as to effectively overlap the circumferential width of the openings 58. In this fashion, effective impact of all substance passing through the openings 58 against the circumferential surfaces of the vanes 59 is insured.

After impact with the surfaces 69, the substance passes through circumferential openings the substance is subjected ef-' formation to vanes 59 and 55 but are preferably larger than vanes 59 for the reason above noted.

By means of the above construction the substance will be seen to be' directed effectively through the homogenizing head in such fashion as to insure the effective impact of the substance I against the vanes of each of the radially spaced 7 series.

This impact occurs under extremely great centrifugal force and is followed by the subjecting of the substance to shearing action as it passes over the edges 5] of each of the vanes. As a result, the resulting homogenizing action is very great and effective homogenization is accomplished. Moreover, by means of the above construction, the material which passes through the slots or passages and over the cutting edges is divided or separated and then remixed at the subsequent passageways. This is illustrated. by the arrows in Figure 2. Thus, in addition to shear and impact stresses, the material is subjected to separation and remixing alternately. v

In order that the rotating members may be effectively lubricated, oil is supplied to the hous ing ID'by means of an oil cup 64. The oil level within the housing is maintained above the lower extremity 65 of the housing 8. This lower extremity of the housing is provided with a hollow bushing 66 which is retained in position by means .of a, fitting 61, secured in position by means of a nut 68. The lower extremity of bushing-2| is formed with openings 89 which communicate with the space 29 between bushing 2| and housing l8, being supplied with lubricant through apertures formed in the drive shaft 20. By reason of the rotation of the drive shaft 20, lubricant will be drawn upwardly through the hollow central portion thereof and directed outwardly through the openings 10 upon the gear teeth 80. The lubricantwill then fall upon the upper portion '21 of the bushing 2| and pass downwardly into the space 29. From this space, the lubricant will pass through the porous bushing 2| and effectively lubricate the drive shaft 20.

, Additional holes 1| are formed in the upper extremity of the drive shaft in order that lubriportion of the bushing 22. Such lubricant will permeate the porous bushing 22 and pass downwardly through the space in order to be available as a lubricant to the extended bearing surface of the drive shaft 20 which it will reach by permeation of the porous bushing 22. As a result of the foregoing mechanism, the driving elements are effectively and positively lubricated under the high speeds of rotation to which the drive shaft is subjected.

An outlet 12 is provided for the chamber I, through which the homogenized substance is discharged. Other features common to mechanisms of this character may be incorporated to afford other common advantages known to-the art and," while the invention has been described with reference to the specific construction illustrated in the drawings, it is not to be limited, save as de- I alignment with the axial recess, "means on the housing to direct a substance into the recess. a

circular flange on the housing extending into the aperture and means in said recess and extending into the substance directing means having a curved surface for directing the substance radially of the head.

2. A homogenizing device comprising a rotatable head having a recess centrally thereof to receive a substance to be homogenized, a plurality of vanes extending radially from the central recess and defining passageways of substantially uniform width, a second series of vanes in radial alignment with the channels and defining a sec- (and series channels increasing in width outwardly of the head, said second vanes having shearing edges at the entrances of the second channels and a third series of vanes in radial alignment with the second channels and overlapping the edges of the second series of vanes, said third series of vanes being provided with adjacent shearing edges and defining a third series of channels increasing in width outwardly of the head, whereby upon operationof the device, the material to be homogenized is divided into a plurality of streams which are mixed with adjacent streams in the channels between the second and third series of vanes and the material is subjected to the shearing action of the shearing edges of the vanes.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 comprising a member in the recess having a curved surface for changing the direction of the material entering the recess from substantially axially to substantially'radially of the head.

4. A homogenizing device comprising ahead adapted to be rotated, said head being formed with a recess centrally thereof to receive a substance to be homogenized and being further formed with a circumferential series of vanes forming channelsextending radially of the cen* tral recess through which a substance may pass and second circumferential series of vanes in radial alignment with the channels forming surfaces against which substances passing through the said channels impinge and defining a second series of channels therebetween increasing in width outwardly of the head, said second series of vanes having shearing edges at the entrances of said second channels.

5. A homogenizing device comprising a housing forming a homogenizing chamber, a homogenizing head rotatably mounted in the chamber and formed with acover having an axial aperture and an axial recess to receive a substance to be-homogenized, a fitting on the housing extending into the aperture to direct a substance into the recess, means on the head having a curved surface and projecting into the fitting to direct the substance radially of the head and pump vanes on.

the last named means to draw a substance into the recess from the housing.

6. A homogenizing device comprising a housing forming a homogenimng chamber, a homogeniz'ing head rotatably mounteddn the chamber and formed with a cover having an axial aperture and an axial recess to receive a substance to be homogenized and a circular flange on they housing extending into the aperture, a fitting on the housing to direct a substance into the recess and extending into the aperture, means on the head having a curved surface and projecting into the fitting to direct the substance radially of the head, and pump vanes on the last named means to draw a substance into the recess from the housing.

WlLLIAM SPENCER BOWEN. 

